Lighting a coal fire in a fireplace may be seen by some as difficult, but if you follow these simple steps, you should have a blazing fire within minutes.

Steps

1

Clear out the ashes and cinders from the last fire, leaving a light layer of cinders on the grate.

2

Place two firelighters near the front of the cinders.

3

Roll up tightly a newspaper page, then bend it in half, and twist it tight around itself again until it is about 8 or 9 inches (20.3 or 22.9 cm) in length.

4

Repeat this with a total of 5 or 6 pages, and then place them over the firelighters in a pyramid pattern.

5

Place the kindling over the rolled-up newspaper, also in a star-shaped/pyramid pattern.

6

Place the pieces of coal around the outer edges of the fire, working inwards and towards the top of the pile.

7

Fill all large gaps with smaller pieces of coal, leaving place at the front to insert the lit match.

8

Strike the match, and insert in the gaps at the front to light the firelighter. Once the firelighter ignites, loosely fill in the remaining gaps where flames appear with small pieces of coal. The paper should light quickly, which will then light the sticks, and in turn will generate enough sustained heat to light the coal. Within 10 to 15 minutes, your fire should be blazing.

9

Add coal, wood, peat (turf), or whatever other long-burning fuel you require to have a warm cozy fire for the evening. However, beware of burning wood with coal - this generates nitric acid which will eventually eat the cement holding your chimney together. A 904 steel flue will help avoid this but eventually will be damaged too. Keep coal coal.

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Community Q&A

Tips

If you have peat briquettes, these can be used alongside or instead of the sticks. A good trick is to split the briquettes down the middle, ending up with 2 or 3 briquette-shaped (but thinner) pieces.

Warnings

Always use a fire-guard, which should be kept in front of the fire at all times.

Never use lighter fluid or any other combustible liquid to assist in lighting the fire, it is too dangerous to use in an enclosed area.

Beware when removing the ashes and cinders from old fires, they can stay very hot for 12 hours or more. For this reason, always use a metal bucket (or other non-combustible vessel) to remove them from the fireplace.